Twenty years of Harry Potter Magic!

On this day, exactly twenty years ago, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone hit the book shelves, setting up the foundation for a magical, literary phenomena spread over several books (you can’t forget the spinoffs!) and multi-million dollar movie franchise. It’s been twenty years since wizards, witches, and Muggles became mainstream!

It’s been twenty years (two decades!!!!) since the Harry Potter books were published. Twenty years since the Boy Who Lived stole hearts all over the world. I hope that this series continues to entertain several more generations. Twenty years! It’s so hard to believe. But twenty years or what, these books still haven’t lost their charm. I don’t think they ever will… because this is one such book series that will steal your hearts and hold them captive forever. And the best part is that you’ll love every bit of this captivity!

I was introduced to Hogwarts and this magical series when I was seven years old. Ever since I first read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Philosopher’s Stone, to some of you), I had been branded for life. And now at 22, I’ve spent most of my life (15 long years!) obsessing over this series. I’ve been a Potterhead for so long, that I can be safely classified as a Harry Potter nerd.

It made me realize that reading was fun and also that there were books that I could actually read and understand! Every year, during my summer vacations I used to re-read all the books in the series. (read: the ones that had been published till date) That should explain why I’m so obsessed with Harry Potter even today. 😀 It wasn’t the first book that I read but it was the first to occupy a place in my heart. As a child, this was one book series that I could connect to and the movie franchise further fuelled my obsession.

I had been totally obsessed with the books, the movie series it had spawned, and in short, anything and everything, that was even remotely related to Harry Potter. Needless to say, I own all seven books and they are the most battered books in my collection; made worse for wear, by the countless times I’ve read them, over and over again.

So obsessed had I been, that I had even gone to the trouble of making a scrapbook of sorts, and filled it completely with almost every “Harry Potter” newspaper cuttings, that I could lay my hands on. I would carefully cut-out any article that appeared in the newspaper that was even remotely connected to Harry Potter. As a 90’s kid, I didn’t have constant access to the internet those days and so I treasured (read hoarded) those newspaper cut-outs. 😀 My scrapbook contains all those meticulously sourced newspaper cut-outs, my own commentaries, and notes, a list of all the spells that have ever been cast at one point or other in the series, and much more. It is clearly one of my most treasured possessions. If I’d been living in London (or at the very least, had the means to get to London.) I’d have stood in line, waiting for hours on end, wearing a cloak, just to get a signed copy from J.K. Rowling.

So if you haven’t already read this amazing series, go ahead and pick up the first book. Please!

P.S: I love Pottermore. When I took the sorting test, I ended up in Hufflepuff. Any other fellow Hufflepuffs here?

P.P.S: Well… Okay then, I’m off to start a marathon God-knows-what-number-it-is-“re-reading”-session of Harry Potter. I just had to write a post to record this moment! (The things you tend to do when you’re a self-confessed Potterhead!) 😀

Hey, apologies for the very late reply. And Wow! I’ve never got Griffindor (and yes, I’ve tried many times but then I decided to be happy being a Hufflepuff. 😁😁😁) Harry Potter was such a huge influence! I have lost track of the number of times I’ve read the books and watched the movies. 😂
Oh yes, I heard that one of Harry’s ancestors was named Harry Potter too! It’s so fun when JKR drops a new detail or confirms a fan theory. 😁
Thank you so much for reading. Glad to know that you’re a fan of this series too. 😀

Hi5, Marina! I’m a 90s kid too and it was such fun to grow up with such amazing characters! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed reading this post. Thank you so much. Glad to have meet a fellow Potterhead. 😀
P.S: I’m a Hufflepuff 😀
Thanks a lot for stopping by and reading and apologies for the late reply! 😊

Twenty years, wow…the tenth anniversary of the seventh novel was a few months ago…Come to think of it, this comment is really late, I’m commenting on October 23, 2017! Ah, well, at least I celebrated the anniversary with my family.

It’s hard to imagine that it’s been twenty years, right? Time flies by so quickly. As they say, it’s better to be late than never. I’m glad that being late didn’t stop you from sharing your thoughts. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Happy to know that you celebrated the anniversary with your family! 😊 And I’m glad to meet another Potterhead. ❤

I just couldn’t ignore this post, being a Potternerd myself. I have been a Gryffindor all along but recently I took the test again and was sorted into Slytherin which ain’t so bad considering Draco Malfoy is one as well.

I was an adult with kids when Harry Potter came out. Bought the 1st 3 books & couldn’t get my kids to read them. So there they sat until I decided to read them. But not until Goblet of Fire came out. That was it. I turned into a kid again. I binge read all the books & was going to the movies. The last 4 books I was standing in line at midnight to get my copy. I’ve read them all at least 10 times & couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the movies. I’m a Gryffindor. One year when I was in my 30’s, I dressed up as Harry Potter for Halloween & went trick or treating with my kids. I earned a bucket full of candy for my efforts…. or was it magic?

I also read and loved the Harry Potter books when they first came out, Sweta, although I was a little bit older (actually, a lot older). I read most of the first book to my friends’ children when we were all on holiday together. They’re both grown up now, of course. But, as you say, the stories are timeless… and ageless. I also remember watching a grown man wipe his eyes and blow his nose while reading ‘Half-blood Prince’ on a station platform… I knew exactly where he’d got to as I’d spent the previous weekend reading it from cover to cover.
Oh, I should add: Ravenclaw 🙂

It’s no wonder that the series is a best-seller. The stories are timeless and ageless indeed. It’s been a while since I read the books. I am tempted to pick them up and read them all over again! I am glad to have found your blog, Chris. And I was even more delighted to know that you are a Potterhead. Oh, Ravenclaw! I am a Hufflepuff myself. Have you tried their new site? You can find out your wand and Patronus too! Thanks for reading, Chris. 🙂

I saw the name of the post and immediately clicked it. Hello there, fellow potterhead.
May I boast here that I’ve been to the actual Hogwarts castle ( the one in the movies) in Scotland? Hehe.
I so wanted to get into either Gryffindor or Slytherin in Pottermore. I tried once, I got Hufflepuff. So I tried again, and ended up with Ravenclaw 😦
Glad to have found you here, I’ve dropped you a follow 🙂

Oh any post that mentions Harry Potter is like click-bait for us. Sorry, it took me a while to rescue this comment. Wow! You have been to the filming location? I’m so envious! Haha I did the same thing. The first time I got Hufflepuff, the next time I got Griffindor. But lately, I have come to the realization that I am a true Hufflepuff at heart. I am glad to have found you too! 🙂